Tobacco harvester with saw tooth conveyor chain



March 1958 J. B. HOLLIDAY ETAL 2,826,317

. TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH sAw TOOTH CONVEYOR CHAIN Filed April 27, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1f QBI/V/4 V v I Jim B. Hall/day 26 Char/es B. SIansfie/d John 0. Mitchell Kenneth S. Goldfarb Adan/ram J. Ji/coff VINVENTORS.

w -MW March 11,1958 J. B. HOLLIDAY ETAL 2,826,317

TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH AW TOOTH CONVEYOR CHAIN Filed April 27, 1955 I s Sheets-Sheet 2 D L ml Jim 8., Hall/day Fig.2

Charles B. Sfansf/e/d John 0. Mitchell Kenneth S. Go/dfarb Adan/ram J. Ji/cof/ INVENTORS.

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March 11', 1958 J. B. HOLLIDAY T AL TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH SAW TOOTH CONVEYOR CHAIN Filed April 27, 1955 Fig.3

3 Sheets-Shet 3 Jim B. Hall/day Char/es B. Stdnsfie/d Jo/mD. Mitchel! Kenneth S. Gold/art: Adan/ram J. Ji/cofl Unite States Patent TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH SAW TOOTH CONVEYOR CHAIN Jim B. Holliday, Lewiston, and Charles B. Stansfield and John ll). Mitchell, Woodviile, N. C., and Kenneth S. Goldfarb, Hyattsville, Md and Adoniram J. Jilcott, Roxobel, N. Q, assignorsto Harrington Manufacturing (30., Inc, Lewiston, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application April 27, 1955, Serial No. 504,316

6 fiiairns. (Cl. 21483.1)

This invention relates to the class of agricultural equipment, and more particularly to an improved tobacco harvester.

In the utilization of tobacco harvesters for the harvesting of a tobaccocrop, it is necessary to remove tobacco leaves from the conveyor chains and to tie the tobacco leaves ontotobacco'sticks. A workman of average capabilities can easily accomplish the function of tying the tobacco leaves onto the tobacco sticks during the course of travel of the conveyor chains of prior tobacco harvesters. However, there is a considerable time delay necessary to remove a filled tobacco stick and position an empty tobacco stick in position so that the tobacco leaves may be tied thereon. It is therefore one of the great advantages of the present invention that approximately onethird more time is provided for the workman to remove the filled tobacco sticks and replace such with an empty tobacco stick during the course of the travel of the to bacco leaves above the platform.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a conveyor chain having means for permitting the workmen to pick the leaves at different and selected heights thereby not only permitting workmen of different heights to remove the tobacco leaves comfortably from the chains, but which will also permit an individual workman to remove tobacco leaves at different heights, thereby reducing fatigue which would otherwise occur from the constant monotonous effort of picking the tobacco leaves at a single height.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a tobacco harvester which is extremely compact and relatively short in length, thereby affording greater maneuverability and ease of handling in the tobacco fields.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a tobacco harvester having means for raising tobacco in discrete bunches from below a platform to a position above a platform whereby a person thereon can remove the tobacco in a convenient manner for tying onto the tobacco sticks.

One of the primary advantages in the invention resides in the provision of means for permitting workmen of varying heights, as, for example, a woman of approximately or a man of approximately 6', to remove the tobacco from the conveyor chains at a convenient height to which the tobacco is moved during its travel.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for enabling the conveyor chains to be maintained comparatively taut, thereby preventing disengagement of the conveyor chains from their sprockets or other casualties.

An additional advantage of the invention resides in the provision of means for moving the tobacco at a sharply inclined angle so as to deposit the bunches of tobacco into the hands of the workmen in a highly efficient manner assuring that the workmen can grasp the tobacco conveniently and comfortably.

An additional object of the invention resides in the pro- 2,826,317 Patented Mar. 11, 1958 vision of a conveyor arrangement which enables the tobacco to be held at various selected heights at spaced intervals without requiring that the length of the tobacco harvester be substantially increased and without requiring adjustment of the chains for workmen of different heights.

The construction of this invention features conveyor chains having a plurality of downwardly and forwardly inclined runs .and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs of equal extent whereby tobacco carried by the chains will be positioned intermittently at spaced intervals at a selected level. The conveyor chains are arranged for access thereto by a picker carried by suitable supports of the frame of the tobacco harvester. There is also mounted on the frame of the tobacco harvester an elevator for raising and lowering empty and loaded tobacco sticks to and from the platform, the elevator forming an extension of the platform when in a raised position.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a tobacco harvester that is comparatively simple in construction, highly eflicient in operation, having means for adjustment of the chains to a considerable extent whereby the chains can be maintained taut and which is also provided with means for assuring against any slack in the chains.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this improved tobacco harvester, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tobacco harvester comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tobacco harvester;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the conveyor chains comprising important elements of the present invention; and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of one of the conveyor chains.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attension directed to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved tobacco harvester comprising the present invention. This improved tobacco harvester includes a frame 12 formed of preferably tubular members, the frame including a plurality of downwardly extending tubular supports 14, 16 and 18. Carried by the supports 14 and 18 are stub axles on which wheels 20 and 22 are mounted.

A front tubular support member 24 is mounted at the front end of the frame and supporting this front tubular member 24 is a motor assembly 26 having a front wheel 28 driven thereby. A steering column 30 rises from the support 34 and is controlled by a steering wheel 32 for controlling the position of the front wheel 28. Suitable controls 36 of conventional construction are provided for actuating the motor and may include a clutch and braking arrangement.

Rising from the frame 12 is a tubular framework 38 for carrying a canopy 40.

Supported by the framework 12 is a platform 42 on which workmen may stand. Other workmen whose duty it is to choose and pick the tobacco leaves from the to bacco plants are carried by the supports 14, 16 and 18 on vertically adjustable seats 44, 46 and 48.

Supported by the frame 12 are suitable conveyor chains 50, 52 and 54. The conveyor chains are positioned so as to be capable of moving bunches of tobacco from a point below the platform and adjacent the seats 44, 46 and 48 to a point above the platform on which the workmen are standing where the workmen may remove the tobacco from the clips of the conveyor chains prior to tying this tobacco onto tobacco sticks. Each of the conveyor, chains 50, 52 and 54 is generally similar in construction and only one of these conveyor chains will be considered in detail. The conveyor chain 54 is entrained about a sprocket 56 rotatably mounted on a support 58 depending from the platform. The conveyor chain is powered through a chain 60 entrained about a sprocket 62 on the same shaft on which the sprocket 56 is mounted, the chain 60 causing the sprocket 56 to rotate as it moves. The chain 60 is entrained about a sprocket wheel driven through a pulley assembly 66, see Figure 2, which is driven by the motor assembly 26.

A generally V-shaped arrangement is provided by a pair of braces 70 and 72 and an idler pulley 74 is carried by the brace for maintaining the chain conveyor 54 taught. As can be seen best in Figure 4, the braces 70 and 72 have adjustable extensions 76 and 78 adjustably held in place by means of nut type fasteners 86 and 82, the extensions 76 and 78 being telescopically inserted into the tubular braces 70 and 72. Carried by the brace 70 by means of a mounting bracket 84 is a sprocket 86 about which the chain 54 is entrained. A sprocket 88 is rotatably mounted on the extension 76 while the exten sion 78 carries a sprocket 90. Also pivotally mounted on the extensions 76 and 78 is a sprocket bar 92 which carries sprockets 94, 96 and 98 which are vertically offset with respect to each other and are arranged in spaced relationship. The chain 54 is so arranged as to include a plurality of angularly downwardly and forwardly extending runs 100 and 102 and a plurality of upwardly and forwardly extending runs 104 and 106. As can be readily understood, the tobacco is therefore positioned a number of times at a selected level along spaced portions of the conveyor thus making it convenient for workmen of different heights to take the tobacco leaves off the conveyor chains. Further, since the conveyor chains are held by means of clips 110 which are pivotally suspended, as at 11 2, from the chains, the bunches of tobacco will be moved in an angular path so as to be deposited into the hand of the workmen in a forceful and positive manner, thereby assuring that the workmen can more readily remove the tobacco leaves from the clip and conveyor chains. The use of the saw tooth arrangement for the angularly disposed runs 100, 102, 104 and 106 enables the conveyor chains 50, 52 and 54 to be comparatively short in length, thereby enabling the tobacco harvester to be made comparatively shorter. This is highly desirable inasmuch as there is provided an elevator 120 which forms a portion of the tobacco harvester and is used in raising empty tobacco sticks from the ground from a lower level to the level of the platform 42 and for lowering the loaded tobacco sticks onto a truck or other convenient means of transportation. The elevator 12!) is attached to the vertically extending supports 12 and 18. Matching plates are provided to form pants, as at 122, and are held outwardly by suitable supporting members, not shown, in the obvious manner. Pivotally attached to the pairs of pants 122 are pairs of links 124 and 126 which are pivotally attached to legs 128 depending from a peripheral framework 130. The pants 122, the legs 128 and the links 124 and 126 form a parallelogram linkage connecting the elevator 120 to the frame 12 and suitable cable means 132 is provided for raising and lowering the elevator. Latching means as at 134 is provided for holding the elevator 120 in a raised position substantially flush with the platform 42. The elevator 120 is fully described in the copending application of Joseph J. Harrington et a1., Serial No. 486,- 568, filed February 7, 1955, for Elevator for Use With Tobacco Harvester.

As can be readily recognized, the operation of this device is quite simple. The workmen seated on the seats 44, 46 and 48, pick the leaves from the tobacco and place them in the clips 100. The bunches of tobacco are then moved from a position below the platform 42 to a position thereabove and are then moved in a continuous stream in consecutive relatively sharply angularly inclined paths of travel to position the bunches intermittently at spaced intervals along a plurality of spaced levels. This method of moving the tobacco from the plants to the persons who tie the tobacco leaves onto the sticks assures that persons of various heights can remove the tobacco leaves from the conveyor chains in a convenient manner, independent of the height of the workmen and further permits the tobacco harvester 10 to be constructed of a relatively short length for greater maneuverability of the tobacco harvester even though it is equipped with the elevator 120.

It has been found during tests that the runs 100, 102, 104 and 106 are optimumly arranged when they extend at an angle of 42 degrees to the horizontal which is the angle at which it has been found that the bunches of tobacco will be directed most forcefully and securely into the hand of a workman.

The device and method above disclosed represent the most practical and advantageous manner of practicing the principles of the invention now known to applicants. It is possible, however, to also secure to some extent the advantages of this invention by forming the angularly disposed runs of unequal length and varying their overall direction so as to be inclined at a selected angle with respect to a particular level at which an attendant is working at the machine.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, conveyor chains mounted on said frame and extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow, the portions of said chains above said platform including a plurality of consecutive sharply angularly downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs, and means for attaching tobacco leaves to said chains secured to said chains, said downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and said upwardly and forwardly inclined runs being equal in extent whereby tobacco carried by said chains will be positioned intermittently at spaced intervals at a selected level.

2. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, conveyor chains mounted on said frame and extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow, the portions of said chains above said platform including a plurality of consecutive sharply angularly downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs, and means for attaching tobacco leaves to said chains secured to said chains, said downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and said upwardly and forwardly inclined runs being equal in extent whereby tobacco carried by said chains will be positioned intermittently at spaced intervals at a selected level, and elevator means carried by said frame for rais ing and lowering tobacco sticks from said platform.

3. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, conveyor chains mounted on said frame and extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow, the portions of said chains above said platform including a plurality of consecutive sharply angularly downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs, and means for attaching tobacco leaves to said chains secured to said chains, said downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and said upwardly and forwardly inclined runs being equal in extent whereby tobacco carried by said chains will be positioned intermittently at spaced intervals at a selected level, and elevator means carried by said frame for raising and lowering tobacco sticks from said platform, said elevator means including a rack being connected to a parallelogram linkage pivotally attached to said supports.

4. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, conveyor chains mounted on said frame and extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow, the portions of said chains above said platform including a plurality of consecutive sharply angularly downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs, and means for attaching tobacco leaves to said chains secured to said chains, and elevator means carried by said frame for raising and lowering tobacco sticks from said platform, said elevator means including a rack being connected to a parallelogram linkage pivotally attached to said supports, said rack when in a raised position lying flush with said platform.

5. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, conveyor chains mounted on said frame and extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow, the portions of said chains above said platform including a plurality of consecutive sharply angularl'y downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and upwardly and forwardly inclined runs, and means for attaching tobacco leaves to said chains secured to said chains, said downwardly and forwardly inclined runs and said upwardly and forwardly inclined runs being equal in extent whereby tobacco carried by said chains will be positioned intermittently at spaced intervals at a selected level, and elevator means carried by said frame for raising and lowering tobacco sticks from said platform, said elevator means including a rack being connected to a parallelogram linkage pivotally attached to said supports, said rack when in a raised position lying flush with said platform.

6. A tobacco harvester comprising a wheeled frame having a plurality of downwardly depending supports, seats adjustably mounted on said supports, a platform carried by said frame, means carried by said frame for raising tobacco leaves from below said platform to there above in a continuous stream of discrete bunches, and means for progressing the stream of bunches in consecutive relatively sharply angularly inclined paths of travel to position the bunches intermittently at spaced intervals along a plurality of spaced levels, and clip means for attaching said bunches to said chains, said clip means being pivotally connected to said chains.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,672,248 Holliday Mar. 16, 1954 2,675,136 Spikes Apr. 13, 1954 2,704,158 Long Mar. 15, 1955 2,716,479 Coder et a1. Aug. 30, 1955 

